Brown needles are a very common concern for many evergreen trees, pines included. So what can cause a pine tree’s needles to go brown—is this a sign of damage or illness, and can a pine tree bounce back?
A pine tree may be experiencing brown needles for various reasons, including over or under-watering, lack of sunlight, exposure to elements, road salts, pests, or fungus. Pine trees are hardy species and can become healthy once the issue is remedied. Rest assured that brown needles can be saved!
Read on to learn 6 common reasons why your pine tree might be suffering from brown needles, and what you can do about it.
Is It Normal For My Pine Tree To Have Brown Needles?
Pine trees, otherwise known by their scientific name, pinus, add beauty to any landscape with their towering stature and evergreen needles.
Pines grow well in many different climates, with almost 100 species of pines growing worldwide. The United States alone has 30 species, according to Oregon State University.
Because of their beauty and range of habitat, pine trees are a great choice for most properties to add a regal statement to your yard with green foliage throughout the year.
It is important to note, though, that all pine trees can fall victim to a variety of ailments that could result in browning needles.
Pine trees do not lose their needles in the winter, aside from one species called larches. Since they are evergreen, dying needles should be replaced quickly with new, green growth.
If your pine tree is experiencing browning needles, there could very well be an underlying problem going on with your tree. You should be concerned about your tree if the browning occurs in large patches, affecting entire branches or more.
The most common causes of brown pine needles are root rot due to overwatering, winter burn from cold weather and wind exposure, or more serious issues such as pests and fungal infections.
Whatever the cause of your browning pine, it is important that you intervene early to prevent further damage.
1. You Are Incorrectly Or Inconsistently Watering It
A common reason your pine tree could be turning brown is incorrect or inconsistent watering. This can mean either over or underwatering.
Mature trees are quite hardy, but you will want to nail your watering routine while the tree is young to ensure it becomes well-established.
If your tree has large, irregular patches of hydrated brown needles, this may be an indication of overwatering, while brown and brittle needles throughout the entirety of the tree could mean it isn’t getting enough water.
Overwatering can lead to many issues, the worst of which might be root rot. This occurs when chronic overwatering floods the root system and causes the roots to grow mold or fungus and rot away.
How To Prevent Watering Issues
You can prevent overwatering by planting your pine tree in well-draining soil, but if your pine tree is already established, you may want to think about changing up your watering schedule.
Water the tree less often or use drip irrigation or a product like this Treegator Original Slow Release Watering Bag to add water slowly over time.
Underwatering is another issue that can lead to parched, brittle, brown needles. First, check to ensure that water is actually being absorbed in the soil and not just rolling off or evaporating off of impenetrable soil.
If you notice that water is not actually being absorbed, you may want to consider aerating the soil to create space in the soil bed for the water to flow down to the roots.
Another solution is to use drip irrigation or other methods to slow the watering down and allow time for it to absorb.
Whatever your watering concerns, there are a couple of easy solutions you can use to ensure consistent and proper watering for your tree.
One way is to add mulch, bark chips, or a tree mat like this Trademark Innovations Reversible Mulch Ring Tree Protector Mat around the base of the tree, covering the roots, to help retain moisture in the soil over time.
2. Your Pine Tree Is Not Getting Enough Light
Like any other plant, pine trees need sunlight to grow. Wild pine trees grow best in open forests where they receive a lot of natural light.
Native pine forests are open, with trees growing further apart and plenty of sunlight reaching the ground.
Many pine forests are adapted to live in conditions where fires occur regularly. These fires are contained low to the ground, where they clear overgrown understory shrubs and debris to maintain the openness of the canopy.
For a more detailed explanation, check out our article on how much sunlight pine trees need to thrive!
How To Prevent Lighting Issues
Setting fires on your property is probably not the solution you were looking for, and luckily there are other strategies you can use to create the same effect.
Mimic mother nature by planting your pine tree where it will receive plenty of sunlight, and maintain the shrubs and trees around the pine so that it doesn’t get shaded out by competing plants.
While you’re at it, here are the best plants to grow under your pine tree! What’s underneath your pine tree truly does make a difference.
If you suspect lack of light is the reason your tree is browning, verify by checking to see if the brown needles are occurring in a place where the tree is more shaded. If so, you may want to attempt to prune back any surrounding shrubs or trees that could be the source of the shade.
3. Your Pine Has Winter Burn, Sunburn, Or Overexposure
Overexposure (also known as winter drying) is one of the biggest culprits for brown pine needles. If you live in a place with cold, dry winters, you may want to consider the possibility that your pine is suffering from winter burn.
Damage from winter exposure will occur late into the winter season and persist through early spring when warming winds encounter frozen soil and root systems. This interaction, along with sunlight on damaged needles, causes stress to the tree and browns needles as a result.
Minimize winter exposure by protecting your tree from excessive wind. You can also use mulch to keep the soil around the roots insulated and prevent the roots from freezing, which can make the tree more susceptible to the elements.
A similar effect could happen with excessive heat throughout the summer months. With warming summers, many pine trees are now experiencing sunburn during heatwaves and long, dry summers.
How To Protect From Overexposure
Sunburn can be hard to prevent, but you can lessen the stress on a pine tree during a heatwave. You can position a shade or canopy over younger trees to protect them from excessive heat and sun exposure.
Make sure to water your tree regularly throughout the summer, using mulch, bark chips, or a tree mat to slow water loss and regulate root temperature.
To identify issues of exposure in summer and winter months, look for large patches of damaged, brown needles on the most exposed areas of the tree.
To prevent this damage, try to plant your pine in well-draining soil in an area that is protected from excessive wind. You can also cover your tree with fabric like burlap to protect it from the elements.
Usually, damage due to exposure is not fatal for the tree, and you will be able to prune the offending branches when the weather warms, after the last danger of frost.
Not sure how to prune your evergreen? Here are some reasons why and how to prune your pine tree!
4. Your Pine Absorbed Road Salt
Road salts used in colder climates may be damaging your tree. This issue is easy to identify, because all of the damage will be on the side of the roadside tree that is getting sprayed by passing vehicles.
Salt harms needles and other leaves by soaking up the water within the tree, ultimately dehydrating it and causing branches to die off in order to conserve water. Salt also leeches into the soil where the sodium ions replace vital nutrients that trees need to survive.
How To Prevent Salt Damage
As a precaution, try not to plant your pine tree too close to the road.
If your tree is already becoming damaged by road salts, you should cover the tree as soon as possible with material like burlap or even old sheets to protect it.
Consider planting hardier shrubs or erecting a barrier or fence to protect them from the spray. Once the weather begins to warm past freezing, hose off the area of the tree that road salts have most impacted to dilute them and prevent further damage.
Pines can usually survive damage like this for a season, but ongoing exposure to salt is likely to cause irreparable damage.
If your tree is too far gone, it might be time to remove it. Here are some other reasons you may need to cut down your pine tree.
5. Your Pine Tree May Have Pests
Pine trees can be very susceptible to damage from a variety of pests. The University of California specifies over 20 different types of insects that could be to blame for your pine tree’s brown needles.
Insects cause damage to trees by eating through the wood. They usually feast in large groups, leading to prolific harm. This disrupts the cambium layer of the tree, which is how nutrients are distributed. When the needles aren’t getting enough nutrients, they begin to brown and die off.
Damage from pests should be easy to spot. Your pine will exhibit symptoms including browning or discoloration of the needles, swelling or galls on its branches, or damage to the bark including oozing sap or discharge. Your tree may be presenting one or all of these symptoms.
How To Protect Your Pine From Pests
You can prevent damage from pests by applying neem oil like this Southern Ag Triple Action Neem Oil or another insecticide to the foliage when the tree is young.
If there are already pests present in the tree, it is best to consult an expert in your area to get rid of them. Make sure to inspect your tree regularly to prevent pest damage from getting out of hand.
6. Your Pine Tree Could Have A Fungal Infection
Lastly, there are several types of fungal infections that can affect your pine tree. Dothistroma needle blight, Lophodermium needlecast, and Brown spot needle blight are the three most common fungal infections in pine trees.
Fungal infections can be identified when the browning occurs at the tips of the needles which are still green toward the base nearest the branch. Another indication that your pine has a fungal infection is the presence of black bands or spots on the needles and galls on the branches of the tree.
Fungal infections will show up in concentrated areas at first and will begin to spread if not removed.
The fungus harms the tree by stealing nutrients, which is why these galls develop. They redirect all resources to one or several places where you see galls. A badly infected tree will have limited ability to photosynthesize.
How To Treat A Fungal Infection In Your Pine
Fungal infections will need to be treated with fungicide, and if the damage is extensive, you are better off consulting an expert to ensure the tree is properly treated before it is too late.
Your best bet is to catch the infection early and to prune the damaged branches using a tool like these Fiskars Powergear2 Bypass Loppers before it has the chance to spread.
To prune an infected branch properly, ensure that you are cleaning your pruning shears or saw with diluted bleach before your first cut, and between all subsequent cuts, so that you don’t spread the fungus as you work.
Can A Pine Tree With Brown Needles Be Saved?
Short answer, yes! Especially if you catch the issue early, identify the cause, and take action before the damage spreads, you can absolutely save your pine tree. Brown needles are one of the first symptoms of a sick or damaged tree, and will usually occur before it is too late.
Use the tips listed above to first identify the cause of your tree’s brown needles and then continue reading to learn what you can do to treat your tree.
How Do You Treat Pine Trees With Brown Needles?
If your tree is obviously suffering from a pest infestation or fungal infection, your first step should be to consult a local expert arborist to help you to treat the ailment before your tree becomes too damaged. To prevent pests and disease in the first place, you can apply neem oil or other broad-spectrum insecticides and fungicides to a young or unestablished tree.
This method, however, will get harder as the tree matures and grows out of the range of a sprayer. You should focus your efforts instead on growing and maintaining a healthy, hardy tree and inspect it regularly to identify issues early.
If there is no evidence of insects or fungus, but your pine’s needles are still brown, you can still intervene and save it. When there is no danger of frost, prune off any brown sections, and even whole branches to allow the tree to focus on its healthier foliage.
You can help the tree by taking away the branch so that it can refocus on its greener branches instead of putting too much energy into keeping a failing branch alive.
Make your cuts at a node, where the smaller branches diverge, or where the branches meet the trunk. Ensure your cuts are clean, not jagged, and flush to the tree, to prevent further infection from getting into uneven cuts or exposed stumps.
Remember, pine trees are quite resilient, especially once established. The best line of defense is a healthy tree.
Keep reading to find some tips on maintaining a healthy tree!
How To Keep A Healthy Pine Tree
When caring for any plant, you are aiming to create ideal growing conditions and meet its basic needs. It is no different with a pine tree.
You can start by planting your pine tree in well-draining soil. Choose a place where it will get plenty of sunlight and still be protected from excessive wind or other natural elements.
There are some other basic steps you can take to make sure your pine tree has lush, green needles all year long.
If you are getting ready to plant a baby pine tree, make sure you brush up on care tips with our article, 8 steps to grow your pine tree faster.
How To Guarantee Green Needles
Maintaining a regular watering schedule is imperative for a younger tree in its first few years of life as it becomes established. Mature pines are resilient, but make sure to water your tree throughout the driest months, using a watering bag if necessary to keep the roots consistently moist but not soaked.
Although nitrogen has not been found to prevent or reverse damage to your pine’s needles, regular fertilizing will reintroduce nutrients to the soil as your tree grows. Use fertilizer as directed to create a fertile soil environment and support a healthy tree.
As brown patches occur, take care to prune off the damaged branches and allow for the tree to direct its resources toward the healthy branches instead of wasting energy on repairing the damaged or diseased sections. Always use clean tools and make clean, smooth cuts to prevent further damage or infection.
Utilize tree rings, mulch, or bark chips to protect the root area of the tree. Mulch has many benefits including moisture retention, weed suppression, and temperature regulation. Mulch holds all of the good stuff in and keeps the bad out. It prevents soil from freezing over the winter and from drying out in the summer. Mulch really does it all!
Make sure you are checking your tree regularly for signs of stress or damage. Now that you know what to look for, you should easily be able to identify a variety of issues and address them quickly before they cause much damage.
Finally, if you have tried all of the tips and tricks and your pine is still going from green to brown, consult an expert for help in getting your pine tree back to being healthy and happy.
Go Plant A Tree!
To sum it all up:
- Water your tree regularly to maintain consistent soil moisture.
- Fertilize your pine or use The Old Farmer’s Almanac Tree and Shrub Fertilizer Spikes to distribute nutrients throughout the year.
- Prune brown patches and damaged branches regularly.
- Use mulch to cover tree roots to retain moisture and maintain soil temperature.
- Check regularly for signs of injury or distress.
Your tree can absolutely heal after experiencing browning or other damage, it might just need a little bit of extra love and attention. As always, turn to experts in your area for help when you need it!
References
A.G. Kais. (1975). Environmental Factors Affecting Brown-Spot Infection on Longleaf Pine. Phytopathology, 65, 1389-1392.
Prescott, C.E. (1995). Does nitrogen availability control rates of litter decomposition in forests? Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences, 62, 83-88.
Snyder, T.E. (1940) The browning of the needles of young Yellow Pine trees in the Gulf States by a leaf-feeding beetle (Colaspis pini Barber). Southern Lumberman, 160(2020), 46.
